Opinion: Mortgaging the Country For a Chance To Live At State House Over the years I have followed the campaigns of various political parties in Zambia and the ‘visible’ finances pumped into these campaigns in the hope of winning various elections, from parliamentary to presidential. I have to admit that am not privy to the laws regulating the funding of political parties in Zambia, what is clear however is that there is very little or no control on who can donate to campaigns and how much money they are permitted to donate. The extravagance in this year’s campaigns is a perfect example. In this year’s presidential elections, we are seeing presidential aspirants purchasing multiple helicopters, countless amounts of vehicles and an almost limitless budget for other campaign activities. When you see a presidential aspirants who in the past has had their practising license as a lawyer revoked for alleged financial misappropriation managing to fly from one place to another only in an election year, it raises the question if politicians should openly declare who their funders are. I know that some sectors of society will argue that contributions or donations made to political parties or individuals help fund both party operations and election campaigns. However it is also arguable that individuals and corporations that donate do so with the expectation of favours, such as government contracts once a candidate that they funded is elected. The problem when private individuals and companies receive government tenders in exchange for such funding is that it puts paid to the ethos of free and fair competitive bidding for government contracts. The consequence is that the state is likely to pay for sub-standard work and those who suffer the most are the ordinary Zambian citizens who rely on government services. But an even more sinister reality to these synonymous funders is that it provides avenues for parties to advance the narrow sectoral interests of individuals both local and foreign. To mention for instance, there are allegations that presidential aspirant Edgar Lungu is being funded by Somalis who have links to Islamic fundamentalism. Now everybody is well aware that Islamic fundamentalism revolves around the belief that the world should be governed around the precepts of the Koran, politically, economically, legally and socially. Would the electorate vote for such an individual if they were fully aware of their funders?? Less substantiated are allegations that the UPND presidential candidate, Hichilima Hakainde is being funded by very wealthy foreign countries or multi-national corporations in exchange for access to natural resources like mining rights and tax incentives in the event that HH wins the elections. In both Lungu’s and HH situation, it evident that such a situation will only benefit a small clique of political and economic elites contrary to the interests of the broader electorate, particularly the poor, who depend on the state to protect their interests. Zambians have to be careful that they do not vote into power candidates that are willing to mortgage our country just for the chance to live at state house. If this information is inaccurate and misleading, it is both Edgar Lungu’s and HH’s onuses to publicly declare who their funders are? zambiareports/2014/12/11/opinion-mortgaging-country-chance-live-state-house/
Posted on: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 08:12:26 +0000
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